The present invention relates to embedded-type speaker units mounted or installed by being embedded in an opening section formed in a mounting part, such as a ceiling or the like, and more particularly to a speaker unit provided with a structure permitting an enhanced efficiency of speaker unit mounting operation.
There have heretofore been known embedded-type speaker units (such as ceiling speakers) that are installed or mounted by being embedded in a mounting hole (opening section) formed in a ceiling or the like of a room, as disclosed for example in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2004-120192 (hereinafter referred to as “the relevant patent literature”). Generally, such a speaker unit includes a cabinet section of a substantially cylindrical shape, and a speaker face provided on the bottom surface of the cabinet section. To mount the speaker unit, the cabinet section is inserted into the mounting hole of the ceiling with the speaker face exposed on the face (i.e., lower surface) of the ceiling, and then the inserted cabinet section is fixed or fastened to the ceiling by fastening via bolts or the like. A mounting structure for such a speaker unit includes a fall-preventing structure (i.e., speaker-unit-fall-preventing structure), provided with a fall-preventing member like a chain or wire, for preventing the heavy speaker unit from falling down by mistake before the fastening via the bolts or the like or after cancellation of the fastening.
According to the conventionally-known speaker-unit-fall-preventing structure, before the cabinet section of the speaker unit is inserted into the mounting hole of the ceiling, the fall-preventing member fixed to a beam or the like disposed above the ceiling and extending from the beam is engaged with the speaker unit by being passed through or hooked on a mounting member (engaged member) fixed or fastened to the cabinet section. Then, the speaker unit is inserted into the mounting hole and fixed by means of fastening members, such as bolts. Thus, even in case a human operator erroneously releases its (his or her) hand, supporting the speaker unit, from the speaker unit during a mounting operation, the fall-preventing member (e.g., chain) can prevent the speaker unit from falling down. Similarly, when, in a dismounting operation, the speaker unit is pulled out from the mounting hole of the ceiling after cancellation of the fastening by the fastening members (bolts), the fall-preventing member can prevent the speaker unit from falling down.
However, with the conventionally-known known speaker-unit-fall-preventing structure, the human operator has to perform the operation for engaging the fall-preventing member with the mounting member (engaged member) of the speaker unit with one hand while supporting or holding the speaker unit with the other hand. Because the operation for engaging the fall-preventing member with the mounting member of the speaker unit is performed near the ceiling, the human operator lifts the speaker unit up to the position of the mounting hole of the ceiling while standing on a stepladder. But, because the conventionally-known speaker unit does not have a particular section or component part with which the human operator can hold the speaker unit with the hand, the human operator has to perform the operation for engaging the fall-preventing member with the mounting member of the speaker unit while supporting the heavy speaker unit, for example, on the palm of the hand and keeping balance. Because not only such an operation is extremely difficult to perform but also the human operator cannot hold the speaker unit in a stable state during the operation, the human operator might sometimes drop the speaker unit by mistake.
Furthermore, in the case where the human operator performs the operation for engaging the fall-preventing member with the mounting member of the speaker unit with one hand while holding the speaker unit with the other hand, the human operator has to perform that operation without directly seeing or visually checking the mounting member depending on the way in which the speaker unit is held and the height position at which the speaker unit is held. In such a case, the human operator has to engage the fall-preventing member with the mounting member by touch, which would extremely lower the efficiency of the operation and may result in a mounting error.